Story by story, writing life

“Life can't defeat a writer who is in love with writing, for life itself is a writer's lover until death.” – Edna Ferber

Born this day in 1885, Edna Ferber was a novelist, short story writer and playwright, whose novels were wildly popular and won her a remarkable four Pulitzer Prizes – for So Big, Show Boat, Cimarron and Giant, the latter three also made into award-winning movies.  Show Boat also was adapted for the stage as a Broadway musical and Cimarron won the Academy Award for Best Picture. 

  

Edna Ferber

Ferber's novels generally featured strong female protagonists, along with a rich and diverse collection of supporting characters. She usually highlighted at least one strong secondary character who faced discrimination ethnically or for other reasons, demonstrating her belief that people are people and that the not-so-pretty people have the best character.

“I like to look at all sides of people and be open to any idea,” she said.  “A closed mind is a dying mind.”

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